Knob and shaft assembly



Nov. 11, 1952 KlLGouR 2,617,216

KNOB AND SHAFT ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 10, 1950 INVENTOR. 77077746 3 XZZ QZ/Z irra/v/u /si Patented Nov. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNOB AND SHAFT ASSEMBLY Thomas R. Kilgour, Highland Park, Mich, as-

signor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, .Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application August 10, 1950, Serial No. 178,661

The present invention relates to an improved knob and assembly of a shaft and knob of the type commonly used to regulate the control of mechanically and electrically operated .devices.

Knobs of this character frequently bear legends which have to be arranged in a predetermined position in order to be easily read.

It is a principal object .of my invention to pro' vide an improved shaft and knob which maybe assembled only in one way, so that the lettering on the knob is always oriented in a predetermined an improved shaft and .knob assembly which is,

easily as well as economically manufactured.

My invention relates more particularly tov an:

assembly including a shaft having a bifurcated end .portion defining legs of unequal length anda knob having an axially extending, externally projecting, strip receivable in the slot of the bifurcated end. The strip has a tab or ear extending from only one of its sides which abuts only the shorter of the legs when the casing of the knob is screwed on to the shaft.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from the fol-lowing description of one embodiment of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my improved shaft and knob assembly.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the assembly taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing in addition the associated panel structure through which the shaft extends.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view-of the shaft partially assembled with the metal strip shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the drawings, I have shown -my improved knob and shaft assembly which comprises a knob, generally designated by the numeral I0, secured to a, shaft II. The knob I'll has a main body portion which comprises a base member or disc 42 on which is mounted a circular dome shaped plate 13 bearing indicia I3. The plate I 3 has 2 edge portions I2 crimped over the periphery of the disc 12 and so firmly clamped upon the :disc I2 as to prevent relative movement between these two parts. The exterior of the crimped peripheral edge of the plate I3 is rou-ndeda-nd is received in an open flared end of a knob casing I4. This end of the casing I4 is rotatably secured .to the plate I3 by a ring I5 of rounded cross section which clamps the casing and plate together against axial movement but allows relative rotation. The open end of the casing :Id is flared and its opposite end portion issubsta-nti'al-ly cyl-in-g drical and is provided with an integrally connected internally threaded sleeve I6 which ex,- tends inwardly of the cylindrical end portion of the casing It. The threaded sleeve I6 is utilized to connect the knob "I ii to the shaft .I I.

The disc I 2 is provided with a metallic locating strip I! which has a flanged end I8 welded or in some other suitable fashion secured to the disc. The strip 11 extends rearwardly from the disc I2 substantially through the center of the casing .I- I

through the sleeve I6 to a location externally of the knob and spaced from the end of the casing adjacent the sleeve 16. The strip I! is provided with an ear or abutment I9 which extends substantially perpendicularly outwardly from .one side of the strip and, as shown in the drawings, may be stamped out of the intermediate portion of the strip IT. The function of the ear l9 and its relative location will hereinafter be set forth.

The shaft -I I is circular in cross section and .is

provided with a bifurcated end portion defining legs 20 and 2| having a slot .22 disposed therebetween. The shaft ii is also provided with a threaded portion .23 substantially at the base of the legs 2i} and 2|. The shaft I l cooperates with,

the locating strip I? as well as the sleeve I6 .to'

secure the knob ID on the shaft in a predetermined position with respect thereto.

7 In the drawings, it will be seen that .a portion of the. strip IT .is disposed within the slot .ZZ'and that the ear I9 abuts the shorter 'leg .2] of. the shaft II. of the sleeve I6 mesh with the threads on the threaded portion 23 of thes'ha'ft. 'Byplacing the strip I7 within the slot .22 in'the shaft, the .disc I 2, as well as the plate I 3 ,are non-rotatably fixed to the shaft II. The indicia IS on the plate 1'3 is so arranged with respeotto the abutment 1'9 and strip I I that when the knob is properly placed to be threaded on the shaft, the letters on the plate remain in a horizontal upright position. The casing may be rotated relative to the disc 12 and plate It in order .to screw the knob. on the" It will also be seen that the threads shaft without disturbing the position of the indicia.

It will be seen that the knob l and shaft ll may be assembled only in one way. In the assembly of the knob and shaft, as for example, on a production line, the shaft may be axially shiftably mounted on a structure which positively holds it against rotation and the assembly man cannot rotate the knob 180 degrees from the position shown in the drawings since the ear l9 would engage the longer leg and consequently, the sleeve l6 and the threaded portion 23 would not be close enough together to have their threads engage. The distance from the end wall of the casing l4 adjacent the sleeve 6, to the ear [8 is less than the distance from the tip of the longer leg 20 to the forward thread of the threaded portion 23.

A shown in Fig. 3, the shaft l I extends through an opening 25 in a wall structure 25, such as, for example, a vehicle dashboard. The structure 26 has fixed thereto a supporting collar 21 which is provided with an opening 28 in registration with the opening 25. The shaft H is provided with an axially extending groove 29 which receives a key 30 formed on the collar 21. The diameter of the opening 28 is only slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft ll thereby allowing the shaft H to move in and out through the opening 28 while the key 30 remains in the groove 29 keeping the shaft from rotating about its longitudinal axis; By this construction, the shaft H is fixed against rotation and the indicia on the knob is fixed.

Substantially one half of the strip 11 is reduced in width so that it may conveniently pass through the sleeve I6. Similarly, the shaft H is reduced in diameter forwardly of the threaded portion 23 so that it may pass through the sleeve.

While I have illustrated and described but one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that such is for the purpose of illustration only, and it is contemplated that those skilled in the art may modify certain details without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A shaft and knob assembly comprising a shaft having a bifurcated end portion providing first and second legs of unequal length and having a slot therebetween, and a knob secured to said shaft including a locating strip extending into said slot, said strip having abutment means so positioned that it engages the shorter of said legs when said knob is secured to said shaft.

2. A shaft and knob assembly comprising a partially threaded shaft having a bifurcated end portion providing first and second legs of unequal length and having a slot between said legs, and a knob threaded on said shaft including an axially extending locating element receivable in said slot, said locating element having a laterally extending ear so positioned that it abuts the shorter leg when said knob is threaded on said shaft.

3. A shaft and knob assembly comprising a partially threaded shaft having a bifurcated end portion providing first and second legs of unequal length and having a slot between said legs, and a knob secured to said shaft comprising casing means having a threaded portion engaging the threads on said shaft, and a locating strip extending through said casing and into said slot, said locating strip being provided with an ear within said casing so positioned that it abuts the shorter of said legs when said knob is secured to said shaft.

4. A shaft and knob assembly comprising a shaft having a threaded portion and a bifurcated end portion providing first and second legs of unequal length having a slot therebetween, and a knob secured t said shaft, said knob including a base member, a casing secured to said base member and having a threaded portion engaging the threaded portion of said shaft, and means for non-rotatively positioning said base member relative to said shaft comprising a strip secured to said base member, extending through said casing and terminating in said slot, said strip being provided with a laterally extending ear engaging the shorter of said legs.

5. A shaft and knob assembly comprising a shaft having a bifurcated end portion providing first and second legs of unequal length, and a knob secured to said shaft and including a base member, a knob casing rotatably secured to said base member, and means for non-rotatively positioning said base member relative to said shaft including a strip fixed to said base member, extending through said casing and penetrating said bifurcated end portion of said shaft, said strip being provided with abutment means engaging the shorter of said legs.

6. A shaft and a knob assembly comprising a shaft having a bifurcated end portion providing first and second legs of unequal length, said shaft having a threaded portion starting at a location spaced from said shorter leg and extending in a direction away from said bifurcated end portion, and a knob secured to said shaft, said knob including a base member, a casing having one end rotatably secured to said base member and its opposite end provided with a threaded portion engaging the threaded portion on said shaft, means for non-rotatably positioning said base member relative to said shaft comprising a locating strip rigid with said base member and penetrating said bifurcated end portion, and abutment means secured to said strip and abutting the smaller leg of said shaft, the distance from the tip of the larger leg to the starting location of the threaded portion on said shaft being greater than the distance from the abutment means on said strip to the aforementioned opposite end of said casing.

7. A knob for attachment to a shaft having a threaded intermediate section and an adjacent bifurcated end portion providing spaced legs of unequal length and having a slot therebetween, said knob comprising a knob body including a front indicia bearing member and a rearwardly projecting locating element fixed to said indicia bearing member and receivable in said slot for positively locating the indicia of said member in a predetermined arrangement with respect to said shaft, a shell mainly surrounding said knob body and locating element and having a threaded sleeve on one end threadedly engageable with the threads of said shaft, the other end of said shell being flared for receiving said knob body, means for rotatively securing said flared end of said shell and said knob body against relative axial displacement, said locating element including a laterally extending abutment engageable with the free extremity of the longer of said legs for holding said knob and shaft against assembly with said indicia in an inverted position.

8. A knob for attachment to a shaft having a threaded intermediate section and an adjacent bifurcated end portion having a slot therein, said knob comprising a knob body including a front indicia bearing member and a rearwardlyprojecting locating element fixed to said indicia 5 bearing member and receivable in said slot for positively locating the indicia in a predetermined arrangement with respect to said shaft, a shell mainly surrounding said knob body and locating element and having a sleeve on one end 10 Number threadedly engageable with the threads of said shaft, the other end of said shell being flared for receiving said knob body, and means for rotatively securing said flared end of said shell and said knob body against axial movement.

THOMAS R. KILGOUR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,930,783 Watson Oct. 17, 1933 2,507,392 Williams May 9, 1950 

